1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is arrowheads or points for arrows used in combination with a bow for hunting. More particularly, the field involved concerns points which assume one configuration during flight and a second configuration as it strikes the target, such as to more efficiently accomplish its function of humanely disabling and killing the game animal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years there has been significant advances in the art of arrowheads or points for hunting arrows designed to more effectively disable and preferably kill the animal being hunted and while doing so, to reduce suffering by the animal and to cause the animal to cease its travel. In this respect, early advances combined the features of a penetrating arrowhead with the barb features of a fish hook wherein once an arrow penetrated an animal, retractable barbs attached to the arrowhead would mitigate against removal of the arrow and arrowhead, at least along the path by which the arrowhead entered. This is shown in U.S. patents to Yurchich U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,305) and Lint (U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,313). Both of these inventions show arrowheads with retractable barbs, the first having barbs projecting outward after impact and the second having the projecting barbs in place before impact.
Later inventions combine retractable sharpened barbs with a tubular pointed arrowhead or point such that upon impact of the arrowhead with the animal, the barb is released from its position along the tubular side of the point such as to cut a wide swath as the arrow penetrates into the body of the animal. This arrangement is shown in the U.S. patents to Hendricks (U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,835) and Cox (U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,657). In both these devices, the sharpened barbs are in a concealed position in the tubular body of the pointed arrowhead until the time that the arrowhead strikes the target whereupon a catch mechanism is released and the barb is swung outwardly by a resilient member, such as compressed rubber. By this device, the sharpened barb does not protrude from the arrow point during flight such as to affect the arrow's accuracy and possible injury to the hunter is reduced by holding the barb in the arrowhead body. In Cox, a plurality of sharpened barbs emerge from the tubular body and are constantly urged outward by elastic bands continually pulling the pivotal point of the sharpened barbs to the rear, such as to cause the barbs to spread outwardly.
Further improvements in hunting arrowheads or points are shown in the patent to Burgmann (U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,619) wherein a pair of sharpened blades or barbs are pivotally contained in the body of the arrow shaft with a catch mechanism located at the rear of the blades, the catch so oriented that after the arrow point has entered the body of an animal, the catch mechanism is engaged which causes the blades to pivot outwardly and engage the interior portions of the animal. The blades rotate to a fixed position for positive securing. In addition, Burgmann provides an air passageway through the hunting point and arrow shaft to aid in pulmonary collapse to hasten death of the animal.
Lastly, Vocal in U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,529 provides an arrow point and shaft wherein pivotal blades are attached to the rear portion of a triangularly shaped sharpened point, the pair of pivotal blades also pivoting to an outstanding position after the point has entered the body of the animal. In addition, the arrow shaft itself is sectional as well as tubular, and has a cord passing through it which aids in the retrieval after the arrow has lodged.
All of the above prior art patents are characterized by arrow point bodies which have protruding barbs or cutting blades extending outwardly from its sides, some extending prior to the arrow point entering the body of the animal and some extending immediately after the arrow point has entered the body of the animal. While the extending blades or barbs accomplish their function very efficiently, i.e., that of cutting as wide a swath as possible in order to bring the game down as soon as possible, yet the tubular body of the arrow point itself, in most cases, provides little help, it only seeming to serve as the body for supporting the outgoing blades.
All of the arrowheads or points illustrated above employ a tubular pointed arrowhead body (with the exception of Vocal) with the barbs or blades emerging from the body, either being pivotal near the head of the body or at the rear of the body, some pivoting upon entering the body of the animal and some pivoting after entry into the body of the animal. This, of course, is not without reasons since for the arrow to travel through to its target with minimum air resistance, it is generally necessary that the smallest point cross section as possible be utilized. Accordingly, there is good reason for the design of the arrow points heretofore. However, the prior art arrowheads or points suffer from the shortcoming that little effect is done by the tubular pointed body portion of the arrow point itself, substantially all the effect being done by the outstanding barbs or blades. It is to this relative inefficiency of the tubular pointed body portion of the arrowhead or point that the inventor directs his invention.
It is thus readily apparent that the efficiency of an arrowhead or point may well be improved if the whole point itself comprises the outgoing blades which perform much more efficiently than the narrow, tubular body point.
It is also apparent that an obvious improvement to the state of the art exists if the rather small point on the arrow shaft necessary for guiding the arrow to its mark should, upon striking the animal, metamorphosis entirely into outstanding blades which bring down the game more efficiently.